Pam said “Terry has never caught a fish on his own rod.”

When I heard this, my mission was ON. Terry would catch his first fish, on his own rod, while fishing out of “Camo-Tow”. In case some of you are first time visitors to “Five Spoke Wheel” I must explain that Pam and Terry are new friends, who have completed two years of overland travel, in a custom built Land Rover Defender camper. They are a delightful couple from Wales, whom we met on a recent Land Rover camping trip to Holder Mine. They have been staying with us for a few days, here at O.O.C.

Sanibel Causeway Island Park

“Freddy” on the left and “Voyageur” catching some rays…

We are very fortunate to have a wonderful place to set-up a beachhead, right on the Gulf of Mexico. “Sanibel Island Causeway Park” is one of the last places where you can park right next to the water. There is ample parking, some shaded by gorgeous Southern Pines and the rest fully open to satisfy the desires of sun-worshippers. Lucy and I , always concerned about preventing skin cancer, chose the shade… Just after we finished setting up Pam told us she “Really wanted to sit in the sun.” She reminded us that the weather in Wales is frequently; cloudy, rainy and cold… We offered to relocate, but she said she was fine…

l to r: Pam, Terry and my Lucy.

The beach was well attended, but there was still plenty of room for all. Terry’s Land Rover Defender “Freddy” attracts attention wherever he parks it. Our beachfront location was no exception. Terry answered questions for the many curious people who strolled by and posed for several photographs. The custom vehicle, equipped with right hand drive, is not only a fine rolling-home, it is a great conversation piece… “Voyageur”, our trusty Roadtrek, was quite hurt, as she got nowhere near as much attention. There was however, one jovial beach goer, who offered to swap his Honda Element for our well equipped camper – “straight up”. We declined his offer… We sat in the shade, enjoyed a few ice-cold adult beverages and planned our fishing strategy.

Our salty little yacht “Camo-Tow” was in full “Fishing” mode

We were all ready for some hardcore fishing. A quick stop at a local bait shop and my bait bucket was brimming with two dozen, very lively shrimp. The shrimp were dying to get on the end of one of our hooks and give it all for the cause. The weather was ideal for the little Gheenoe. Comfy swivel seats, convenient rod-holders and a wide beam, combine to provide an ideal fishing-platform. There is no boat ramp at the park. No problem for our little craft. I unhitched the trailer from Voyageur and Terry and I simply rolled it into the surf for the launch. I wish we would have taken some photographs. Pulling it back out of the water required a bit more effort, but it was actually no problem for we two incredibly strong, senior citizens, Camo-Tow is equipped with a 6.6 horsepower outboard that provides a proper cruising speed while only sipping a tiny bit of petrol…

“Then you twist it around six times and run it back through the double loop” I explained…

Terry confessed he just did not have much experience with a rod in his hand. First lesson was to demonstrate one of the proper monofilament line fishing knots – guaranteed not to pull loose. On the third try, I finally got it right. I heard a few chuckles (with a British accent) over my multiple attempts. Terry opined “It was a good idea showing me how not to tie it first.” Ha Ha Ha… We set up our fishing rigs on the beach, so we would be ready to drop our hooks immediately…

“Terry, be sure you put plenty of sun-screen on your head!” Cautions Pam

Camo-Tow, our 15′ 4″ Gheenoe, while small in size, is huge in fishing comfort, stability and good looks. ;O) We carried everything we needed with a “no-frills attitude”…

A hearty “Bon Voyage” and we were off on our three hour tour

FISH ON!

There was very little breeze, calm waters and the tide was perfect for catching… I wish I had taken some actual fishing photos, but we were too busy pulling them in… We set up to drift through the deepwater channel, normally a very productive method. In this case, 30 minutes of hardcore beer drinking and drowning shrimp, resulted in no fish. I cranked up the outboard and motored a half mile to a new location. Thirty seconds after Terry’s bait hit the water WHAM!“FISH ON!” He hooked and landed his first fish. Catching it on his brand new, open face spinning rig, made it even more special. It was a nice 1.5 pound Speckled Sea Trout. Perfect size for the skillet and one notch down on his four-fish bag limit…

Speckled Sea Trout

The scrappy little Speckled Sea Trout hit hard and fight bravely. All to no avail. Our British Buddy landed all but one. The fish is one of our favorite for a crispy Southern fish fry. In only a few minutes we had caught our “limit’ and the two dozen shrimp I had bought were gone. There was a lot of excited hollering and yelling, some in a stately Wales accent, and a good bit of Florida Crack caterwalling. It was a wonderful fishing trip with enough fish in the box, for a fantastic seafood dinner. I cleaned them on the side of the boat and left the entrails for the crabs. Terry had a wall-to-wall grin that lasted for the rest of the day. We couldn’t wait to return to the waiting women and show off our catch. They both admitted equal amounts of surprise and appreciation. “I can’t believe you caught all those fish.” Pam commented…

Terry’s happy smile, lit up the entire beach

Good friends, Good fishing and Good fun!

These are not big fish. Each was carefully measured with my trusty fish-ruler, to make sure they were “legal” Terry did catch the two largest trout, but we didn’t get a proper photo. These little beauties produce a tender, sweet meat, with very few bones. I made a batch of “hush puppies”, a first time treat for our friends from the United Kingdom. There was nothing left on the platters when we left the table… All in all a perfect day at the beach. We hung around for most of the afternoon and then retrieved Camo-Tow and headed for O.O.C.

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…It is easy “Being Green”

It was a perfect morning for a trip to one of our local “Green Markets”

Lucy and I have spoken often about making a Saturday morning pilgrimage to the Green Market, at the Fort Myers, “Alliance For The Arts”. It was not a top priority because we “Grow our own” right here at O.O.C. We continued hearing about the market from some of our friends and based on the information, we decided it would be a fun trip…

“Voyageur” our 1998 Roadtrek is the perfect excursion vehicle

We often use our Roadtrek for “Fun” trips, as well as our frequent errands, It is wonderful having a clean bathroom, fridge full of healthy snacks and ice-cold drinks and even a very nice spot for the occasional nap. There was plenty of shaded parking spots on the beautiful campus… Lots of folks arrive by bicycle and we even saw some backpack wearing roller-bladers. The location is happy to have well behaved pets with thoughtful owners who pick up after them…

“Come on David. Lets go buy something.” says Lucy

The “Alliance”, as it is known locally, is a wonderful place to visit. The ever changing art exhibits are always first rate and the frequent concerts and outdoor productions are well known and well attended. There are many classes available for children and adults covering most artistic media. Some of the sculptures and ceramics we saw were truly amazing.

The jar of cashew butter I bought, was creamy and delicious. One hundred percent natural.

Tina Johnston, owner of “Gone Nuts” was the first market vendor we visited. We sampled several of her offerings and ultimately purchased a jar of her cashew butter. No additives at all and chock full of flavor. All of Tina’s fine butters are available online. Here is a link to her Gone Nuts online store.

Drummin up business

There is a wide variety of booths at the Green Market. I enjoyed speaking with the owners of “Gypsy Drums” and hearing some of the well played African Rhythms. The quality of the instruments was high and the prices reasonable… You will all enjoy Jeanie’s BLOG. All of her items are available online and her attitudes, knowledge of chanting and drumming and love, are freely shared, both in person and with her online community. I did not buy a drum. The drum purchase is still under review by the O.O.C. Executive staff and CFO – Lucy…

“Super Shopper” Lucy at one of the many booths

We did actually make several purchases and we were pleased with each of them. We even bought a very special “Tea Cake” to share with Pam and Terry, our friends from Wales. They will be arriving later today for an O.O.C. overnight stay. The dill pickles she bought were crunchy and good. The seeds she bought from “The Unruly Gardener” will be a welcome addition to our vegetable garden… She even bought a very tasty jar of marinated sheep’s cheese. Yes. It is made right here in Fort Myers from sheep’s milk…

Shopping locally is definitely a good reflection of your spirit

Lucy and I both agree that keeping our shopping dollars in the community is a stellar concept. We enjoy supporting local farmers and artisans. We incorporate as many methods as possible to reduce our carbon footprint and our impact on the world. We are just a little to far from the market to make bicycle commuting feasible but we do carry our own bags to carry our treasures. Not only are there many obvious benefits to shopping locally, a visit to any Farmer’s is just plain FUN…

Our purchases loaded we were ready to head to Hickory Hammock for some additional purchases from Terry, the affable owner…

You meet the most interesting people in a Land Rover

Lucy and I had a marvelous time, tent-camping, with a group of Land Rover owners, at “Holder Mine Campground” in Citrus County, Florida. One of the high points of all of our off-road adventures, is the people we meet. In this case, an amazing couple, Pam and Terry who left their home in Wales, in their fully self-contained Land Rover Defender 130, for a two year tour of the Americas. We absolutely fell in love with this couple…

The Brown’s travel in style. Their Defender is a fully self-contained camper

The first hint of their eminent arrival was the distant clatter of a big diesel V8. (It was actually a 2.5 Turbo-diesel but it sure sounded like a BIG V8. Thanks Theo) We all loved the sound and waited anxiously for them to pull into view. For me it was love at first sight. Of all the vehicles I have; seen, driven, owned or imagined “Freddy” is by far the one I covet most. It is an absolutely amazing vehicle…

Pam and Terry both arrived with huge smiles.

We all wanted to have a giant gab fest but the first order of the day was to make camp. We would have plenty of time to visit later…

“Drive in, turn off ignition, pop the top and open a beer.” That is how Terry described setting “Freddy” up for camping.

This well-traveled couple had their cozy home on wheels ready for living within minutes. They have already driven from the southern tip of South America to the Northern tip of Alaska. They are definitely a well-oiled camping machine. After two years on the road they really have their preparations perfected. It was fun sitting in my folding chair watching them work. They have everything they need and nothing they don’t…

“Freddy” making friends with the Disco Queen…

Their custom “Camper” is well equipped. Full galley, five batteries, solar panels to keep them all at full charge and a convenient casette-toilet when a bush just won’t do. The living quarters are well insulated as is the cab. A Webasto diesel-fired furnace provides adequate for any weather. The somewhat utilitarian stock Land Rover seats have been replaced with premium Recaro style seating to insure comfort regardless of trail conditions…

Pam in the blue T-shirt

We had an absolutely wonderful time with Terry and Pam. They were the ideal campmates. Sitting around our campfire, hearing about their amazing trip, was a very pleasant way to spend an evening. We are very happy to announce they will be here with us at O.O.C. for a couple of days, as they wind down to the end of their journey. I will have a nice post on their visit. You can check out their BLOG by clicking here.

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I just want to do a shout out for some excellent customer service. I enjoyed my original BRUNTON “Eterna” binoculars for many years. I contacted them about repairing an issue that developed in the fine BRUNTON optics…

They sell their products with a “Lifetime Guarantee”. When they finished their inspection they informed me my original binocs were not repairable. They went a step further and told me they were mailing me a BRAND NEW pair at no cost.

Fantastic! I love it when a gear provider makes good and I want to recommend BRUNTON highly.

Not everyone is negatively affected by “Inflation…

Marianne assembles the paddles – last items out of the van – and heads to the put-in

Marianne and Randy “Boondockerswelcome.com” asked if there were any paddling destinations near O.O.C. We told them “Yes indeed, Telegraph Creek is a wonderful place to visit by kayak.” Seeing no kayak on top of, or behind their Roadtrek, we offered them the use of two of ours. We also offered to transport the kayaks to the launch. “No worries” replied Marianne “We have our own.” “HUH? Where is it?” Marianne explained that after a good bit of research they had purchased a 380X Sea Eagle inflatable kayak. “Well I’ll be darned.” I responded…

Lucy on her Salsa MUKLUK, heading to the launch

Lucy and I were very intrigued by the ability of carrying a kayak inside our little RV. We just had to see this Sea Eagle in action. We jumped on our trusty pedal powered steeds and headed to nearby Franklin Lock to watch them assemble, inflate and launch the inflatable boat. (I was somewhat skeptical)…

Three small bags contain the entire Sea Eagle 380X

… In only a few minutes the busy couple had carried the various parts to the waters edge. Randy made short work of inflating the 12’6″ kayak. The seats were installed after the hulls were fully inflated. They explained that the cushy inflatable seats – complete with backrests – could be removed from the boat and used as camp or beach chairs. Marianne also explained that she often reverses her seat – while on the water – when they stop and enjoy their floating picnic linch. Very cool…

“You need to Pump-it-up.” Instructs Lucy

“Looky Lucy” sat on one of the wooden benches and made sure they did it right…

With a 650 pound carrying capacity, we barely made her settle on her lines.

It was a pleasant surprise when Randy turned to us and said “Why don’t you guys take it for a ride and see how you like it. It handled much better than I expected. Lucy fell in love with the cushy seats and decided we need to add one of the Sea Eagles to our O.O.C. Navy fleet…

Always wear your PFD. Off they went…

In a matter of minutes the happy couple had paddled out of sight on their way to Telegraph Creek. When they returned ot O.O.C. that evening they both agreed it was one of the nicest water-based trips they had ever done…

You will find a link to purchase your own Sea Eagle on Marianne’s award winning website: http://www.frugal-rv-travel.com/Inflatable-boat.html

We thoroughly enjoyed having Randy and Marianne as our guests and our test ride in the Sea Eagle…

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Isn’t it amazing how many, many, things can get us off our BLOG schedule…

It sounded so easy when I first had a BLOG explained to me. “Every day just log in to your BLOG and type in some of your thoughts. A few photos would be nice too.” Turns out, as in many other cases, that is not as easy as it sounds. Actually, I have no excuse. I thought of a few: Too busy at my job – NOPE – I am retired. Children take up too much of my time – NOPE – They are all grown-up and on their own. Health problems prevented me from accessing the web – NOPE – my health has not changed. Hmmmmm… That only leaves one possible reason why I have not continued to improve or post to our blog – YEP – laziness! Damn Nation! I hate admitting that. After a while, I just ran out of reasons to explain why I was not posting. I started thinking (telling myself) nobody reads my blog anyway… That is not true. Several of my followers and friends have written asking me “Why” I stopped updating Fivespokewheel. Once again, I had no proper answer. I figured “Black Friday” was a good day to resume my installments. I don’t like shopping and I don’t watch televised sports. At first I thought I should go back and post a whole bunch of updates covering all the stuff that has been going on since July. That ain’t gonna happen… (For those who may be curious as to the “goings-on” from the last 120 days, check out my Facebook page by clicking here) I am just going to start again and TRY to keep it up. (That’s what she said)…

Thanksgiving Day 2012

I am typing this at the little table in “Voyageur” our comfy little Roadtrek RV. Once again we are parked under the giant Grandfather Oak tree in Alicia’s front yard. We arrived here last Wednesday in preparation for a four-day Thanksgiving holiday. We were invited to have Thanksgiving dinner with Jo and Tom Polch, rapidly becoming a very pleasant holiday tradition with Lucy and I….

When it came time to drive to the Polch residence, less than five miles away, Lucy asked “Hey David. How about if we just ride our bikes?” It was perfect weather for a bike ride and we wouldn’t have to unhook the RV to make the short drive. “Lets do it.” I agreed and minutes later we were on our way. Turned out to be a fantastic idea. We had a wonderful ride through some very pretty neighborhoods and even received some shouts of “Happy Thanksgiving!” along the way. We arrived with great big smiles on our g faces, flushed pink with the exertion of the fast paced ride. Lucy does not understand the term “Leisure ride”…

Just arrived at the “Polch Palace”. Lucy looks as fresh as she did before the ride. Thankful for her excellent health…

We ride our bikes a good bit. So many benefits to our bodies, our psyche and the planet… What’s not to like. It really does roar us back to our childhood. So much fun to just jump on and ride. We always race, we always laugh our butts off and we always feel like kids again…

Everybody brings a dish to share. The good-eats are all set up buffet style in the cozy kitchen and the dinner is enjoyed inside at one of the many tables, or dining alfresco, poolside. Lucy and I opted for the fresh air…

Seems some of the cousins always wind up on the bank of the lake, feeding the abundant fish. Later they were back with fishing rods, reducing the population of the hungry inhabitants. They actually caught a couple of two-pound Large-mouth Bass. I love watching these boys and reminiscing about the times my brothers and sister and I did exactly the same thing…

Granddaughter Abigail kept a close watch from her tree top spy location. Said it was her “Branch office”…

Granddaughter Alana had to keep her feet firmly on the ground. She spent a good bit of her time running after her little sister Lucy Jo. Alana is a very protective big sister and the love between them is obvious…

MiMi Lucy decided she wanted to be a spy too. Next thing I knew she had joined SPY Abby in the SPY tree…. Careful Lucy. Sure don’t want any broken bones. ;O) I am very proud of Lucy for continuing to enjoy her “Little girl” side.

Amanda and Dave were a happy couple of “Thanksgivinger’s”. Here they are watching Kevin trying his fishing skills on the resident school. Amanda brought a delicious squash casserole and refused to give me her “Secret Recipe”. I had three helpings… ;O) Dave Parcells played his first-time-ever game of “Corn Hole” and decided to stick to golf. ;O)

Once again, Grandmother Lucy dominated the corn-hole court and swept the field with her super accurate tosses and always-fun-to-watch, “Body English”… We were all spared further embarrassment, by the sudden, welcome, ringing of the dinner bell…

Brian Giles from Fort Valley, Georgia, was a welcome member of the festivities. He semed to enjoy the perfect weather and lakeside activities as much as his much younger cousins…

All in all a wonderful day, the first of our four day holiday excursion to Bradenton… More later.

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I know, I know… I shouldn’t talk about a donkey here on WordPress. Somehow it just fits.

I have been a bad Blogger. Seems having fun, while traveling around may have muddled my brain. We have been camping in Voyageur since Friday. Started off at Silver Lake Recreation area and then moved here to Chassahowitzka River Campground. The weather has been perfect. Plenty of sunny days and nice late evening rain. The only bad thing was… I lost my new camera. Still have not ordered another one. I would love suggestions for a waterproof, lightweight, digital camera…

I am going to post this one photo from my phone and then launch Camo-Tow for some fishing. Soon as Lucy and I are back at Site 17, I will post a proper “BLOG”. I don’t want her too get angry. She is Readsy to hit the river NOW.

The Chassahowitzka River is crystal clear. Lots of fish and other aquatic life. I bought a long handled crab net at the campground store and we hope to boil up some tasty Blue Crabs this evening… Liz and Doreen are doing a marvelous job of running the campground and making us feel right at home. The facilities are pristine and the traffic low. As long as you don’t mind DEET spray on your exposed body-parts, sitting out by the fire in the lush tropical rainforest surroundings is stellar… “GONE FISHIN”…